Windsor Police are searching for a suspect wanted in an assault and attempted robbery just after midnight on the city’s near west side.

Police were called to the Tim Horton’s store located at Crawford Street and Wyandotte Street West where they were met by a 24-year-old woman who was bleeding from her nose and had bruising to her right eye.

The woman told police that she had been walking westbound on the north sidewalk of Wyandotte between Janette Avenue and Bruce Avenue when she was accosted from behind by a male attacker who grabbed her purse strap and was attempting to rip it away from her. The woman resisted and refused to surrender her purse.

During the struggle, the suspect punched the woman in the face twice causing her injuries.

A good samaritan who was riding his bike in a nearby alley overheard the woman’s screams for help and rode toward the victim and the suspect as the victim was on the ground holding onto her purse.

The suspect then fled the scene on foot west on Wyandotte then northbound on Bruce Avenue. The woman was able to retain her purse and all of its contents.

The witness then escorted the victim to the Tim Horton’s where police were called. The victim was transported to Hotel Dieu Hospital where she was treated and released for non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect is described as white male, 18-25 years, 5’8″, slim build with short brown hair. He was wearing a “puffy” beige waist length winter coat and blue jeans.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to call Windsor Police Investigations at 519-255-6700 ext 4830 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 519-258-TIPS (8477).